Neurological Disorders: Alien Hand Syndrome

Synonyms:
 Anarchic hand; Diagnostic dyspraxia;  Intermanual conflict; Magnetic apraxia; Unilateral apraxia; La main etrangere. 

Overview
     Alien hand syndrome  is a rare neurological disorder that causes hand movement without the person being aware of what is happening or having control over the action. The afflicted person may sometimes reach for objects and manipulate them without wanting to do so, even to the point of having to use the healthy hand to restrain the alien hand. A new study identified the areas of the brain involved in both voluntary and involuntary movement and found that neural activity was restricted to the primary motor cortex during the unconscious motor activity seen with AHS. The study will be published online in the official journal of the American Neurological Association.

The Perfect Defect: A Chinese Boy with Cat-Like Eyes Can See in the Dark

Nong Youhui is a young boy from Southern China who was born with Siamese bright blue eyes that allow him to see in pitch dark.

     An eye-specialist visited the boy, in his home village, in China’s Guanxi province, to examine his unusual eyes, the first thing he noticed when he arrived was that Nong’s eyes were light blue just like Westerners, but very unusual for Asians. He became even more intrigued when he noticed that when shined upon with a flashlight, the boy’s eyes would emit a kind of blue-green light, just like a cat’s. As it turned out, his eyes not only looked liked a feline’s they also allowed him to see and even read perfectly in total darkness.

World Heart Day 2012 : Focus on Women and Children

 
 This year our efforts will focus on protecting the hearts of women and children through heart-healthy actions. 

 This year, World Heart Day is even more significant given that at the 65th World Health Assembly in May 2012, governments from 194 countries agreed to the first-ever global mortality target on non-communicable diseases (NCDs – including CVD, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases) and made a commitment to reduce premature NCD deaths by 25 per cent by 2025.
  Since CVD accounts for nearly half of the 36 million deaths due to NCDs, we have a major role to play in achieving this target. 

This year in continuation from our 2011 theme of home heart health we will make 2012 the year of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention among women and children because:

Dermographism

The term dermographism (or dermatographism) literally means writing on the skin. Dermographism is a common form of chronic hives called physical urticaria, which gets its name because the hives are caused by a certain stimulus on the body. Firm stroking of the skin produces:

• an initial red line (capillary dilatation),
• an axon-reflex flare with broadening erythema (arteriolar dilatation)
• formation of a linear wheal (transudation of fluid /edema); 

=> these events are collectively termed the triple response of Lewis(due to release of histamine) .

An exaggerated response to this constitutional whealing tendency is seen in approximately 2-5% of the population and is referred to as dermographism. In a minority of people, it is accompanied by itching (symptomatic dermographism).
   
Diagnosis
Dermographism is diagnosed clinically based on the typical appearance of the rash. To make the diagnosis, the doctor may take a tongue blade and draw it over the skin of the arm or back to cause a
 hive. 

Is That Drink Really Healthy?

These days, there are more “health drinks” lining supermarket shelves than ever before. But don’t start guzzling just yet! Although these concoctions promise a bevy of vitamins, energy or other “super” ingredients, there’s typically a catch. Read on for the scoop on popular “health” beverages.

via @http:/womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, 23 August

 Message from UNESCO Director-General:

Freedom from slavery and servitude is a fundamental human right recognized in Article 4 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, whose 60th anniversary we celebrate this year. On this tenth International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, let us therefore remember the millions of men, women and children who were subjected to this most invidious denial of human rights, and those who fought tirelessly to end that tyranny.

Triclosan, a Chemical Commonly Found in Hand Soap Impairs Muscle Function

The Food and Drug Administration said recent research raises "valid concerns" about the possible health effects of Triclosan, an antibacterial chemical found in a growing number of liquid soaps, hand sanitizers, dishwashing liquids, shaving gels and even socks, workout clothes and toys.

A new paper, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicates that triclosan impairs muscle function in both animals and humans. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of California, Davis, found that the chemical hinders human muscle contractions at the cellular level and inhibits normal muscle functioning in both fish and mice.

 “Triclosan is found in virtually everyone’s home and is pervasive in the environment,” said lead author Isaac Pessah. “These findings provide strong evidence that the chemical is of concern to both human and environmental health.”
The antibacterial substance, which was first developed in the 1960s to prevent bacterial infections in hospitals, has since been incorporated into everything from hand soaps to toothpastes to mouthwashes. Manufacturers see it as a marketing bonus, increasing consumer confidence that a particular product kills harmful bacteria. Even some household products—such as kitchen utensils, toys and bedding—include triclosan.

International Day of Friendship

The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.

The Day is also intended to support the goals and objectives of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace and the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010).

To mark the International Day of Friendship the UN encourages governments, international organizations and civil society groups to hold events, activities and initiatives that contribute to the efforts of the international community towards promoting a dialogue among civilizations, solidarity, mutual understanding and reconciliation.
via http://www.un.org/

History of Medicine : The Stethoscope

In the early 1800s, doctors began to listen to patients' chests to diagnose diseases of the heart and lungs. At first, the physician put his ear to the patient's chest. One day when examining a young lady under the watchful eye of her family, René Laënnec was embarrassed to place his head right next to her breast. Instead, he listened through a rolled up a piece of paper, and found he could hear much more clearly than without it--thus the stethoscope was invented.

Laënnec, A l'Hopital Necker, Ausculte Un Phtisique (Laënnec, at the Hopital Necker, Examining a Consumptive Patient by Auscultation)
Théobald Chartran (1849­-1907)


Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Laennec

World Population Day - 2012 Theme: Universal Access to Reproductive Health Services

          "On this World Population Day, I call for urgent, concerted action by Member States to bridge the     gap between demand and supply for reproductive health care. We must mainstream reproductive health and rights into all development and poverty reduction plans. Investing in universal access to reproductive health is a crucial investment in healthy societies and a more sustainable future."

                                                                                    Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
                                                                                    Message for World Population Day
                                                                                                                     11 July 2012

2012 Theme: Universal Access to Reproductive Health Services

As the world population edged to 7 billion people in 2011 (up from 2.5 billion in 1950), it has had profound implications for development. A world of 7 billion is both a challenge and an opportunity with implications on sustainability, urbanization, access to health services and youth empowerment.

100 Best TED Talks

      For over five years now the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) Conference has been releasing talks from their conference on video featuring leading thinkers not only in technology, entertainment, and design, but also science, psychology, personal growth, and numerous other areas. They now offer over 900 talks on their website and numerous other TED conferences have popped up including TED Global, TED India, TED Women, and 100s of TEDx Events which have produced almost 20,000 TEDx videos on YouTube.

      The TED Talks give you a global outlook in a way that few other resources can provide. And at 20 minutes you can get through a lot of them and gain a lot of condensed knowledge very quickly.
Here are the categories we've featured below with the number of TED talks that we featured for each category:
ART & DESIGN (5 talks)
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS (10 talks)
EDUCATION (5 talks)
HEALTH & PERSONAL GROWTH (10 talks)
PSYCHOLOGY (15 talks)
RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY (10 talks)
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (25 talks)
SOCIAL SCIENCES & GLOBAL ISSUES (15 talks)
MISCELLANEOUS (5 talks)
Expand your mind and inspire yourself to learn more with these amazing TED talks!

Study of the Day: To Teach Kids to Eat Smart, Parents Should Show, Not Tell

New research from Michigan State University shows that leading by example promotes healthier diets among children than explicit food restrictions.

PROBLEM: How does parental behavior during mealtime influence children's food intake, weight, and obesity risk?

METHODOLOGY: To explore the possible consequences of directive (overt) and nondirective (covert and environmental) forms of parental feeding control, Michigan State University researchers led by Megumi Murashima collected data from 330 dyads of children, aged three to five, and mothers participating in a federal preschool program for low-income families. They assessed the moms' feeding practices, the kids' food consumption, and the height and weight of both the mothers and children.

Infographic: The Mountains of Salt in Processed Food

You already know that salt intake is highly correlated with high blood pressure and heart disease. And you probably have a vague sense that processed foods contain a lot of salt. But the specifics are truly terrifying, as this graphic by Next Generation Food shows.
It's not exactly the most legible graph--I mean, triangles aren't exactly a case study in information clarity. But the point comes through. Check out, for example, that fact that a single Burger King Whopper with cheese has 75% of your recommended daily salt intake; and the fact that Americans eat 250% of their recommended daily allotment:

Restless Legs Syndrome

Background

       Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurologic movement disorder of the limbs that is often associated with a sleep complaint ^.Patients with RLS have a characteristic difficulty in trying to depict their symptoms. They may report sensations, such as an almost irresistible urge to move the legs, that are not painful but are distinctly bothersome. RLS can lead to significant physical and emotional disability.

   The sensations of RLS usually are worse during inactivity and often interfere with sleep, leading to chronic sleep deprivation and stress.Once correctly diagnosed, RLS can usually be treated effectively and, in some secondary cases, it can even be cured.
The term RLS was used initially in the mid-1940s by Swedish neurologist Karl A. Ekbom. However, descriptions of the disorder date back to the 17th century.
RLS is often unrecognized or misdiagnosed. Many patients are not diagnosed until 10-20 years after symptom onset. RLS may begin at any age, even as early as infancy, but most patients who are affected severely are middle-aged or older.

What are common signs and symptoms of restless legs?

In the LymeLight

Freeskier Angeli VanLaanen, 26, is working on a documentary film, called "LymeLight," that follows her professional ski career and her battle with Lyme disease. The film is currently in the fundraising stage and has no debut date yet.


    This month -- May is Lyme awareness month -- VanLaanen is working to raise funds for her movie, and get the message about Lyme disease out there. "I want to create a campaign to raise awareness for Lyme disease," VanLaanen says. "The goal is to educate and inspire through sharing my experience."The documentary is not for profit, VanLaanen says. Ultimately, VanLaanen hopes to return to competitive halfpipe skiing.

Source:
 http://espn.go.com/action/freeskiing/story/
Links: 
Lyme disease : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002296/

May 2012- Health Observations and Events

Months - Health Current Events May 2012

Awareness Event	Nation	Related Organization	Comments
ALS Awareness Month	United States	ALS Association	[Currently Running]
Arthritis Awareness Month	United States	Arthritis Foundation	[Currently Running]
Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month	United States	Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America	[Currently Running]
Better Hearing and Speech Month	United States	ASHA	[Currently Running]
Better Sleep Month	United States	Better Sleep Council	[Currently Running]
Celiac Awareness Month	United States	National Foundation for Celiac Awareness	[Currently Running]
Clean Air Month	United States	American Lung Association	[Currently Running]
Correct Posture Month	United States	American Chiropractic Association	[Currently Running]
Cystic Fibrosis Month	Worldwide	Cystic Fibrosis Foundation	[Currently Running]
Hepatitis Awareness Month	Worldwide	Hepatitis Foundation International	[Currently Running]
Huntington's Disease Awareness Month	United States	Huntington's Disease Society Of America	[Currently Running]
Lyme Disease Awareness Month	Worldwide	Lyme Disease Foundation	[Currently Running]
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month	Canada	Multiple Sclerosis Society Of Canada	[Currently Running]
National Cancer Research Month	United States	American Association for Cancer Research	[Currently Running]
National Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Month	Australia	Crohn's & Colitis Australia	[Currently Running]
National High Blood Pressure Education Month	United States	Center for Disease Control and Prevention	[Currently Running]
National Lupus Awareness Month	United States	Lupus Foundation of America	[Currently Running]
National Melanoma Skin Cancer Awareness Month	United States	American Academy of Dermatology	[Currently Running]
National Mental Health Month	United States	Mental Health America	[Currently Running]
National Neurofibromatosis Month	United States	Children's Tumor Foundation	[Currently Running]
National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month	United States	National Osteoporosis Society	[Currently Running]
National Physiotherapy Month	Canada	Canadian Physiotherapy Association	[Currently Running]
National Stroke Awareness Month	United States	National Stroke Association	[Currently Running]
Vision Health Month	Canada	Canadian National Institute for the Blind	[Currently Running]

23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?

Dr. Mike Evans gets our attention with a video in which he explains in a simple and interactive way how important preventive health is for us and how we can start being healthier right now .


Source:
http://.myfavouritemedicine.com

Ingenious Label Design Ensures Food Safety

     Japanese design agency TO-GENKYO has designed an innovative hourglass shaped label for packaged meat which uses a special ink that changes color as ammonia is released inside the package. As the meat ages, it releases increasing amounts of the substance, obscuring the barcode at the bottom. Customers can quickly see if the meat is going bad – and when the barcode becomes completely covered, it can’t be scanned.

Faith Complex: Islamic Feminism and the Blue Bra

Muslim feminist Asra Nomani visited Faith Complex to discuss how the infamous “Blue Bra” video has reversed honor/shame categories in the Islamic world.

During the Tahrir Square uprisings in Cairo, onlookers captured this extremely disturbing video of Egyptian military police brutalizing a female protester, dragging her along the street so that her blue bra becomes visible in the course of the beating. The incident sparked a wave of solidarity across Egypt and the unnamed “blue bra girl” has become an icon and rallying cry. Crucially, the Blue Bra Revolution also turns the spotlight on what the role of women will be in the regimes arising out of the Arab Spring.

A Glimpse of Reality: David Jay’s SCAR Project

The SCAR Project is a series of large-scale portraits of young breast cancer survivors shot by fashion photographer David Jay. Primarily an awareness raising campaign, The SCAR Project puts a raw, unflinching face on early onset breast cancer while paying tribute to the courage and spirit of so many brave young women.
Dedicated to the more than 10,000 women under the age of 40 who will be diagnosed this year alone, The SCAR Project is an exercise in awareness, hope, reflection and healing. The mission is three-fold: raise public consciousness of early-onset breast cancer, raise funds for breast cancer research/outreach programs and help young survivors see their scars, faces, figures and experiences through a new, honest and ultimately empowering lens.

Studies Show that Nigeria Has The Highest Twinning Rate In The World

   A multiple pregnancy means that a woman has two or more babies in her uterus. These babies can come from the same egg or from different eggs. The occurrence and frequency of twinning, however, varies across human populations. The maternal age, socio-environmental factors, increase in the use of contraceptives, the race of human population, increase in the spontaneous abortion rate, and seasonal variations are among the factors that could influence twinning rate.

 
Information on twinning rates in southwest Nigeria is limited.

Delivery Rate   :
     A frequency of twin births of 46.5 per 1000 deliveries and 46.2 per 1000 deliveries was recorded for Ilesa and Ile-Ife respectively.
    The incidence of twinning among the races of the world has been extensively studied. Worldwide changes have occurred in the pattern of twinning rates in recent decades. The highest twinning rate is observed to occur among the Negroids, while the lowest occurred among the Mongoloid population. In Nigeria, the incidence of twinning was estimated to be 45‰.

World Down Syndrome Day 21 March

"On this day, let us reaffirm that persons with Down syndrome are entitled to the full and effective enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Let us each do our part to enable children and persons with Down syndrome to participate fully in the development and life of their societies on an equal basis with others. Let us build an inclusive society for all."

                                                                                             Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Down syndrome is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has always been a part of the human condition, exists in all regions across the globe and commonly results in variable effects on learning styles, physical characteristics or health.

Adequate access to health care, to early intervention programmes and to inclusive education, as well as appropriate research, are vital to the growth and development of the individual.

In December 2011, the General Assembly declared 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day (A/RES/66/149). The General Assembly decided, with effect from 2012, to observe World Down Syndrome Day on 21 March each year, and Invites all Member States, relevant organizations of the United Nations system and other international organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to observe World Down Syndrome Day in an appropriate manner, in order to raise public awareness of Down syndrome.


via @ http://www.un.org/en/events/downsyndromeday/

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

"Racism continues to cause suffering for millions of people around the world.... I look to all people to join the United Nations in our drive to eliminate racism. We must, individually and collectively, stamp out racism, stigma and prejudice."

                                                                                      -Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

 

2012 Theme: "Racism and Conflict"

The theme for this year's event is "Racism and Conflict," highlighting the fact that racism and discrimination often are at the root of deadly conflict.
The theme was chosen to capture the often ignored yet mutually reinforcing relationship between racism and conflict. In many parts of the world, racism, prejudice and xenophobia create extreme tension and are used as powerful weapons to engender fear or hatred in times of conflict. Prejudice and xenophobia can even lead to genocide, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and war crimes.
This year's theme aims to raise awareness of these issues and to recall the plight of the victims who suffered or continue to suffer as a result of racism-related conflicts.
The first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination reminds us of our collective responsibility for promoting and protecting this ideal.

via @http://www.un.org

Brazil Hands out Nearly Half Billion Condoms

Brazil's government says it handed out nearly a half-billion free condoms last year — a record for the nation's campaign to reduce AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
    Brazil's Health Ministry says it distributed 493 million condoms last year. That's 2 1/2 condoms for every person in Latin America's largest nation. They cost the government about $19 million. The ministry says the Brazilian government buys and distributes more condoms than any other nation. About 90 percent of all condoms used in Brazil are provided by the government.The federal government distributes the condoms, with some going to states and municipalities to be handed out in various programs including in Brazil's schools.

 

via @abcnews.com

Killing Us Softly 4 :Advertising's Image of Women

      In this new, highly anticipated update of her pioneering Killing Us Softly series, the first in more than a decade, Jean Kilbourne takes a fresh look at how advertising traffics in distorted and destructive ideals of femininity. The film marshals a range of new print and television advertisements to lay bare a stunning pattern of damaging gender stereotypes - images and messages that too often reinforce unrealistic, and unhealthy, perceptions of beauty, perfection, and sexuality. By bringing Kilbourne's groundbreaking analysis up to date, Killing Us Softly 4 stands to challenge a new generation of students to take advertising seriously, and to think critically about popular culture and its relationship to sexism, eating disorders, and gender violence.

 

8 March - International Women's Day

EMPOWER RURAL WOMEN –  END HUNGER AND POVERTY.

“Invest in rural women. Eliminate discrimination against them in law and in practice. Ensure that policies respond to their needs. Give them equal access to resources. Provide rural women with a role in decision-making.”

                                                                                            Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

     Recognizing the critical role and contribution of rural women, the theme of International Women’s Day 2012 is Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty.
     Key contributors to global economies, rural women play a critical role in both developed and developing nations — they enhance agricultural and rural development, improve food security and can help reduce poverty levels in their communities. In some parts of the world, women represent 70 percent of the agricultural workforce, comprising 43 percent of agricultural workers worldwide.

Documentary : "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" by Dr. Lustig

 Robert H. Lustig, MD  - Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, in the Division of Endocrinology Director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at UCSF

Dr. Robert Lustig lectures on the perils of sugar, Fructose in particular.He talks about how obesity has risen at the same time as fat consumption has decreased, how soft drinks and the invention of High-Fructose Corn Syrop are two of the larger culprits and the biochemistry of Fructose.

Inside LSD-Full Length Documentary

Brief Overview 

     Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an altered sense of time and spiritual experiences, as well as for its key role in 1960s counterculture. It is used mainly as an entheogen, recreational drug, and as an agent in psychedelic therapy. LSD is non-addictive, is not known to cause brain damage, and has extremely low toxicity relative to dose, although in rare cases adverse psychiatric reactions such as anxiety or delusions are possible The psychedelic drug/entheogen LSD was first synthesized by the Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann in the Sandoz (now Novartis) laboratories in Basel, Switzerland on November 16, 1938. It was not until five years later on April 16, 1943, that the psychedelic properties were found.

March 2012- Health Observations and Events

March 2012 Health Current Events - Months

Awareness Event	Coverage	Related Organization
Mouthguard Awareness	Australia	Australian Dental Association
National Kidney Month	Canada	The Kidney Foundation Of Canada
Help Fight Liver Disease Month	Canada	Canadian Liver Foundation
National Epilepsy Month	Canada	Epilepsy Canada
No Smoking Day	United Kingdom	No Smoking Day
National MS Education and Awareness Month	United States	Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
National Nutrition Month	United States	American Dietetic Association
National Brain Injury Awareness Month	United States	Brain Injury Association of America
Red Cross Month	Worldwide	American Red Cross

March 2012 Health Current Events - Week

Event	Date	Nation	Organisation
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week	24th Feb - 1st Mar	United States	National Eating Disorders Association
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week	25th Feb - 2nd Mar	United Kingdom	Beat Eating Disorders
Endometriosis Awareness Week	2nd Mar - 8th Mar	United Kingdom	Endometriosis UK
National Sleep Awareness Week	5rd Mar - 11th Mar	United States	National Sleep Foundation
Prostate Cancer Awareness Week	10th Mar - 16th Mar	United Kingdom	The Prostate Cancer Charity
National Poison Prevention Week	16th Mar - 22nd Mar	United States	Poison Prevention
Mental Health Action Week	23rd Mar - 29th Mar	United Kingdom	Mental Health Foundation
Arthritis Awareness Week	27th Mar - 2nd Apr	Australia	Arthritis Victoria

March 2012 Health Events - Days

Event	Date	Nation	Organization
World Water Day	22nd Mar	Worldwide	UN Water
World TB Day	24th Mar	Worldwide	The Stop TB Partnership
American Diabetes Alert Day	25th Mar	United States	America Diabetes Association

March 2012- Health Observations and Events

Photos of food and their sugar-cube equivalent

See more photos of food and their sugar-cube equivalent http://www.sugarstacks.com/

Dr. William Li: Can we eat to starve Cancer ?

Dr. William Li heads the Angiogenesis Foundation, a nonprofit that is re-conceptualizing global disease fighting,  presents a new way to think about treating cancer and other diseases: anti-angiogenesis, preventing the growth of blood vessels that feed a tumor. The crucial first (and best) step: Eating cancer-fighting foods that cut off the supply lines and beat cancer at its own game.

21 Feb 2012 - International Mother Language Day - Mother tongue instruction and inclusive education

International Mother Language Day is an observance held annually on 21 February worldwide to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. It was first announced by UNESCO on 17 November 1999. Its observance was also formally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution establishing 2008 as the International Year of Languages .

On 16 May 2009 the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution A/RES/61/266 called upon Member States "to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by peoples of the world". By the same resolution, the General Assembly proclaimed 2008 as the International Year of Languages, to promote unity in diversity and international understanding, through multilingualism and multiculturalism.

International Mother Language Day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The date represents the day in 1952 when students demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, the capital of what is now Bangladesh.

Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage. All moves to promote the dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.

Related articles:

• International Mother Language Day 2012 (socialactions.net)
• UN  (http://www.un.org)

International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation

6 February 2012

    The International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation is observed each year to raise awareness about this practice. Female genital mutilation of any type has been recognized as a harmful practice and violation of the human rights of girls and women. WHO is committed to the elimination of female genital mutilation within a generation and is focusing on advocacy, research and guidance for health professionals and health systems.

Image via Wikipedia

    Female genital mutilation (FGM) refers to all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Female genital mutilation has no known health benefits. On the contrary, it is associated with a series of short and long-term risks to both physical, mental and sexual health and well-being.
    FGM is affecting about 140 million girls and women, and more than 3 million girls are at risk every year. A special focus for WHO this year, is the troubling trend of health-care providers increasingly being the ones performing female genital mutilation, and thereby contributing to legitimize and maintain the practice.

Read More:

• Global strategy to stop health-care providers from performing female genital mutilation
• Eliminating female genital mutilation: an interagency statement
• Fact sheet on female genital mutilation
• More information on FGM

February 2012- Health Observations and Events

February 2012 Health Current Events - Months

Awareness Event	Coverage	Related Organization
Heart Month	Canada	Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada
Raynaud's and Scleroderma Awareness Month	United Kingdom	Raynaud's & Scleroderma Association
AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month	United States	Prevent Blindness America
American Heart Month	United States	American Heart Association
National Children's Dental Health Month	United States	American Dental Association
Duchenne MD Awareness Week	Worldwide	Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy

February 2012 Health Current Events - Weeks

Event	Date	Nation	Organisation
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week	3rd Feb - 9th   Feb	Canada	National Eating Disorder Information Centre
Tinnitus Awareness Week	6th Feb - 12th Feb	United Kingdom	British Tinnitus Association
Contraceptive Awareness Week	11th Feb - 17th Feb	United Kingdom	FPA
Sexual Health Awareness Week	14th Feb - 21st Feb	Australia	SHine SA
Australian Organ Donor Awareness Week	21st Feb - 28th Feb	Australia	Medicare Australia
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week	24th Feb - 1st Mar	United States	National Eating Disorders Association
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week	25th Feb - 2nd Mar	United Kingdom	Beat Eating Disorders

  February 2012 Health Events - Days

Event	Date	Nation	Organization
Give Kids A Smile Day	1st Feb	United States	American Dental Association
National Wear Red Day	6th Feb	United States	National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Condom Day	10th Feb	United States	American Social Health Association
Sexual and Reproductive Health Day	12th Feb	Canada	Canadian Federation for Sexual Health
National Donor Day	14th Feb	United States	OrganDonor.Gov
Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day	14th Feb	Worldwide	Congential Heart Defects Foundation
National Impotence Day	14th Feb	United Kingdom	The Sexual Dysfunction Association

World Leprosy Day - Sunday 29, January

     Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, an acid-fast, rod-shaped bacillus. The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and also the eyes, apart from some other structures.
      Leprosy is curable and treatment provided in the early stages averts disability.
     Multidrug therapy (MDT) treatment has been made available by WHO free of charge to all patients worldwide since 1995, and provides a simple yet highly effective cure for all types of leprosy.

Click to Zoom In...

Leprosy today

         The diagnosis and treatment of leprosy today is easy and most endemic countries are striving to fully integrate leprosy services into existing general health services. This is especially important for those under-served and marginalised communities most at risk from leprosy, often the poorest of the poor.
According to official reports received from 121 countries and territories, the global registered prevalence of leprosy at the beginning of 2009 stood at 213 036 cases, while the number of new cases detected during 2008 was 249 007. The number of new cases detected globally has fallen by 9126 (a 4% decrease) during 2008 compared with 2007.
         Pockets of high endemicity still remain in some areas of Angola, Brazil, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, and the United Republic of Tanzania. These countries remain highly committed to eliminating the disease, and continue to intensify their leprosy control activities.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

 International Holocaust Remembrance Day, 27 January, is an international memorial day for the victims of the Holocaust, the genocide that resulted in the annihilation of 6 million European Jews, 2 million Gypsies (Roma and Sinti), 15,000 homosexual people and millions of others by the Nazi regime. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 60/7 on 1 November 2005 during the 42nd plenary session. The resolution came after a special session was held earlier that year on 24 January 2005 during which the United Nations General Assembly marked the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps and the end of the Holocaust.

This year’s theme is Children and the Holocaust. Watch or read Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks on the 1.5 million Jewish children and the tens of thousands of other youths who died during the Holocaust.

French police have arrested Jean-Claude Mas, whose breast implant firm Poly Implant Prothese sparked an international health scandal by using substandard silicon

(Reuters) - Jean-Claude Mas, the Frenchman who sparked a global health scare by selling substandard breast implants, was arrested on Thursday as Marseille prosecutors build a case against him for manslaughter.
    In the first arrests since the two-year-old scandal made headlines worldwide in December, Mas and a second executive at his now defunct company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) were seized at their homes in southern France shortly after dawn.
    The detention could lead within hours to Mas being placed under formal investigation on suspicion of manslaughter and causing bodily harm. That could in due course lead to criminal charges, which would carry longer sentences than those he now faces in a fraud case expected to be tried around October.

Consumers' Report: Arsenic found in Apple and Grape Juice

       Controversy over Arsenic in apple juice made headlines as the school year began when Mehmet Oz, M.D., host of  “The Dr. Oz Show,” told viewers that tests he’d commissioned  it found 10% of apple juice and grape juice samples had total arsenic levels above the drinking water standard of 10 parts per billion. Consumer Reports also found that the majority of the arsenic in the tested juice was inorganic, the kind to cause cancer.
The Dr. Oz Show has been communicating with the FDA since the original broadcast in September ,2011. The FDA sent letters to the show in September saying that the majority of arsenic in apple juice is organic or the “harmless kind". In a conference call with The Dr. Oz Show in October and in an email sent on November 29th, the FDA says it's researching the new evidence suggesting the majority of arsenic in apple juice is inorganic. In addition, the FDA told The Dr. Oz Show that there are two forms of organic arsenic in apple juice that are potentially harmful.
 

Find everything you need to know about Contact Dermatitis

Dermatitis simply means skin inflammation, but it embraces a range of ailments. In most cases the early stages are characterized by red, itchy skin, although acute attacks may result in crusty scales or blisters that ooze fluid. Since many things can irritate the skin, a doctor will try to narrow the diagnosis to a specific category of dermatitis, even though treatment is similar for most types of skin irritation and inflammation.
Brief Overview :
The types of dermatitis include:
->Contact dermatitis typically causes the skin to develop a pink or red rash, which usually itches. Pinpointing the exact cause of contact dermatitis can be difficult. Among plants, the leading culprits are poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac, although contact with certain flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables can cause dermatitis in some people.
-> Nummular dermatitis consists of distinctive coin-shaped red plaques that are most commonly seen on the legs, hands, arms, and torso. It is more common in men than women and the peak age of onset is between 55 and 65. Living in a dry environment or taking frequent very hot showers can cause this condition.

January 2012- Health Observations and Events

January 2012 Health Current Events - Months

Awareness Event	Coverage	Related Organization
Alzheimer's Awareness Month	Canada	Alzheimer Society of Canada
Thyroid Awareness Month	United States	AACE - American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
Glaucoma Awareness Month	United States	The Glaucoma Research Foundation
National Blood Donor Month	United States	AABB - American Association of Blood Banks
National Birth Defects Prevention Month	United States	National Birth Defects Prevention Network
Cervical Health Awareness Month	United States	National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC)

January 2012 Health Current Events - Weeks